To get you started on Atlas development, some useful MSDN links:

• ASP.NET 'Atlas' Home

  The main Atlas page
    

• Installing the ASP.NET 'Atlas' Web Site Template

  Step-by-step instructions to help you download and install the Atlas Web Site Template, and to create your first Web site using it.
    

• Installing the Hands-on Lab ASP.NET 'Atlas' Web Site Template

  Step-by-step instructions to help you download and install the Atlas hands-on lab.   

Also if you haven't heard Telerik have launched r.a.d callback, a suite of AJAX-enabled UI Controls. I would love to implement this into a MCMS website, like a navigation control.

1.02

via Nikhil Kothari's Weblog:

I like to think of Atlas as an end-to-end framework, rather than simply being "yet another AJAX library". Atlas is designed to be an end-to-end application framework spanning client and server development, and the communication between the two. In addition it provides an application framework that enables developers to put together components, and wire them up together. It can be used both declaratively (using XML-script) and imperatively (using JavaScript). Finally it addresses how script functionality can be integrated into asp.net apps as well as HTML pages in a clean, and unobstrusive manner.

In yesterday's PDC05 talk, Shanku presented a task list application, and an overview of the architecture. This post will provide a similar overview of the architecture. On the left is a diagram of the architecture (hopefully it will convey Atlas' application framework characteristics).

On the client, Atlas provides a set of scripts forming the Atlas Client Script Library consisting of the following:

• Browser Compat Layer - This is where we abstract out differences between browsers, so that higher level functionality doesn't have to have if... else... code all over the place, or is at the very least minimized. Today we support Atlas running on Safari and Firefox.
• Script Core - This is something that rightfully should have been part of JavaScript, but it isn't. It includes a set of type system patterns allowing you to use standard OOP constructs such as namespaces, classes, interfaces, inheritance, enumerations, delegates, and so on. The goal is to provide mechanism to encapsulate data, logic, behavior into classes much like you would in any other programming language, so as to enable a disciplined approach to scripting. In addition, we've added a number of more intuitive APIs to built in JavaScript objects to bring them closer to their .NET equivalents.
• Base Class Library - This was inspired by the BCL in the .NET Framework. It consists of useful types such as StringBuilder, Debug, Event, and IDisposable. In addition, it contains our abstraction over XMLHTTP via WebRequest, and WebResponse (much like their System.Net counterparts). On top of WebRequest, we've built MethodRequest which allow calling into WebMethods defined on .asmx, and .aspx files, or any server class for that matter. This layer also includes serialization - specifically, our JSON serializer, though the intent is to provide other forms of serialization. Finally this layer contains services such as Profile and Authentication that integrate with the corresponding functionality back on the server. All in all, this provides familiar APIs to script code, thereyby making it easier to develop and read/maintain.
• Component Model and UI Framework - This layer introduces the notion of components (types that can be self-describing of their object model). Components also participate in the dispose mechanism managed by a top-level Application class. Other features build on top of components and their OM descriptions. Specifically we have a parser for parsing script components persisted in declarative XML-script. Bindings allow wiring up components to transfer property values from one component to another (these bindings are "live" via change notifications). Actions allow performing work by calling into component methods in response to events raised by components. The UI framework features specific types of components: controls, behaviors, validators etc. Controls represent UI elements. Behaviors are a mechanism to attach additional semantics to existing controls (eg. Drag/drop). Validators, are like behaviors, but are meant to define validation rules associated with an input control.
• Controls and Components - We have an early set of built in components such as Timer, and Counter and controls such as the usual set of form controls, ListView, and a map control (based on Virtual Earth) thrown in for some sizzle.

On the server end, we built our Atlas framework bits on top of ASP.NET 2.0. It has three primary pieces to it:

• Server Control Framework - We have defined a new control ScriptManager that manages the set of scripts sent down to the client, as well as any XML-script markup generated by server controls. Server controls can start to participate in this processing by virtue of implementing IScriptComponent. In addition to this core framework, we have server-side representations of various client component model types, and controls.
• Web Services Bridge - This allows using both .asmx style and Indigo style .svc services to be used from client script (as well as WebMethods defined on .aspx pages, or any other referenceable type on the server dynamically registered as a Web service). In order to make it simple to do so, we automatically generate JavaScript proxies when the services are referenced via <script> tags. Secondly, we provide the necessary plumbing to process an incoming request with JSON-serialized parameter data, invoke the service method, and serialize the result using JSON to send back to the client script.
• Application Services Bridge - We use the web services bridge to expose a few of the key ASP.NET application services. Specifically, we currently allow you to authenticate users (using the membership service), and to retrieve and update user data (using the profile service).

I'll talk about our client services piece in the future. For now, I'll just say, its designed to be a mechanism to safely expose mechanisms for client script to integrate well with desktop functionality and other applications on the client.

Over time, we intend to add a number of features, enhancements, and of course address feedback we get from you on top of this core architecture we have put in place. I'll be delving into details over time as well. What are the areas that interest you?

Chapter download: "Creating Applications That Talk (Chapter 2); Data-Mining Predictions (Chapter 5)"
(Note: If the sample chapter fails to open, try disabling your browser's popup blocker first.)

Chapter 2 shows how you can use the Microsoft Speech Application SDK to create two basic types of applications: telephony (voice-only) and multimodal (text, voice, and visual).

Chapter 5 examines how a fictional retailer named Savings Mart uses Microsoft's Analysis Services, included with Microsoft SQL Server, to improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs.

© 2005 Pearson Education, Addison-Wesley Professional. Reprinted with permission.

Buy the book now!

Building Intelligent .NET Applications: Agents, Data Mining, Rule-Based Systems, and Speech Processing
by Sara Rea
Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0321246268

About the Author(s)
A senior developer for a company that produces software for governments, Sara Morgan Rea specializes in developing Web-based applications utilizing Microsoft technologies. She is an MCSD and MCDBA and is certified in SQL Server 2000 and VB.NET.

Are you ready to experience SQL Server 2005?

Announcing the launch of the SQL Server 2005 Virtual Hands on labs. In these labs, you will get to experience many of the new features in SQL Server 2005 including CLR integration, XML support and deep business intelligence integration.

Just follow the link and experience SQL Server 2005 for yourself

Registration link:
http://msdn.demoservers.com/login.aspx?group=sql2005

Just recieved this email from MondoSoft regarding a new version of MonodoSeach for Enterprise Indexing and Searching, there is also a webcast presentation on April 14th.

From Hans at MondoSoft:

Mondosoft would like to inform you that a new generation of Enterprise Search, targeted towards large-scale search needs, typically intranets and enterprise and web portals, will be available from Mondosoft, starting tomorrow. The new product is named MondoSearch Enterprise, and will index millions of pages with great ease, in a very timely manner. The new product will typically be 10 times faster than MondoSearch 5.1b, and case studies show speed and performance improvements up to 18 times better than MondoSearch 5.1b. Even with millions of searchable documents, it is possible to update the full search database on a daily basis.

Scalability is secured by a comprehensive re-design of the MondoSearch Crawler, search database and memory-handling. Further, multithreaded connection pooling has been applied to save server load. This means that even in the unlikely scenario that hundreds of thousands of search results are returned, the results will be delivered straight away. In the Enterprise version, the MondoSearch fuzzy ranking has been optimized for handling very large data amounts. The degree to which data is being crunched and assembled in the indexing process has become significantly higher.

The MondoSearch Enterprise product also ties in advanced .NET and Web services functionalities, previously available as add-ons. This means that large corporations with centralized IT-departments for example, can run a centralized web service-based search setup, and then distribute .NET search templates for each affiliate to tailor their own search and result pages, no matter the location of the affiliates.

 The product will not be available for immediate download, as we recommend its use in connection with certified Mondosoft consulting.

 We would like to invite you to join a webcast presentation of the new MondoSearch Enterprise product on April 14. Sign up at http://www.mondosoft.com/webcasts.asp

 You can learn more at www.mondosoft.com/enterprise or contact us directly for more information 

Best Regards,

Hans Christian Studstrup
VP of Sales, EMEA & APAC
hcs@mondosoft.com

Here is the link to the DotLucene Project on the web.

Already compaines such as Snowvalley are offereing Lucene integration as part of a solution.

Further information:

• Very good performance
• Ranked search results
• Search query highlighting in results
• Searches structured and unstructured data
• Metadata searching (query by date, search custom fields...)
• Index size approximately 30% of the indexed text
• Can store also full indexed documents
• Pure managed .NET in a single assembly
• Very friendly licensing (Apache Software License 2.0)
• Localizable (support for Brazilian, Czech, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Russian included)
• Extensible (source code included)
• DotLucene is a port of Jakarta Lucene to .NET (C#)
• Index is compatible with the Java version (Lucene)
• Current download: DotLucene 1.4.3 Final (2004-02-13)

Introducing Indigo: An Early Look

Summary: Provides an architectural overview of "Indigo," Microsoft's unified programming model for building service-oriented applications. The paper covers Indigo's relationship to existing distributed application technologies in the .NET Framework, the basics of creating and consuming Indigo services, and an overview of Indigo's capabilities, including security, reliable messaging, and transaction support.

Read further..

We want to announce with great pleasure the official release of our first out-of-the-box product. Sitefinity is a Web Content Management System, which provides an open, extensible environment for visual construction and management of public sites, intra- and extranets.

Built with a strong accent on usability and interface familiarity the product enables non-technical business users to create layout templates, build individual pages, and push content through the workflow in a completely WYSIWYG manner.

Sitefinity, however, is built with the developer in mind. It uses an open modular architecture and a fully-exposed API, which allows web-developers to modify the existing functionality, reuse code and add new modules in the form of standard ASP.NET controls.

For end-users: key features:

• Completely WYSIWYG In-Context Site Management Environment

• Can Accommodate Any Web-Site Design

• Easily Switch Between the Staged and Live Copy of the Site
• Expedient Linear Workflow

• Centralized Task Management Through a Task Intray

For developers: key technical features:

• Open Modular Architecture
• Easy Integration and Reuse of Standard ASP.NET Controls
• Side-by-Side Development in Visual Studio .Net
• Ability to Parameterize User Controls from the Browser
• Features the Award-Wining telerik r.a.d.controls
• Fully Exposed API for Complete Control and Extensibility

For IT managers: benefits and ROI

• Little or No Learning Needed
• Quick and Easy Implementation
• Free Trial Available for No-Risk Evaluation
• Cost-Effective Web CMS Solution
• Future-Proof Solution
• Out-of-the-Box Solution for a Short Time-to-Web

Here are some more screens from the application:

Costs

Two prices, one for Standard Product License and another with Gold Support

Sitefinity v1.x Standard 10 Users  $ 995  $ 1,295 
1 Domain, MS Access database, 10 Sitefinity users  

Sitefinity v1.x Professional 10 Users  $ 1,995  $ 2,395 
1 Domain, SQL Database, 10 Sitefinity users  

Sitefinity v1.x Professional 20 Users  $ 3,495  $ 4,195 
1 Domain, SQL Database, 20 Sitefinity users  

Sitefinity v1.x Professional Unlimited  $ 4,995  $ 5,995 
1 Domain, SQL Database, Unlimited Sitefinity Users 

To receive more information and register for a free trial version, please, visit www.sitefinity.com.

Here some really good articles regarding the NUnit testing tool for development.

Test Driven Development Using NUnit in C# by Muthukumar. V

Advanced Techniques with NUnitAsp by Tim Stall

Test Driven Development (TDD) website

The IIS 6.0 Resource Kit Tools can help you administer, secure, and manage IIS. Use them to query log files, deploy SSL certificates, employ custom site authentication, verify permissions, troubleshoot problems, migrate your server, run stress tests, and more.

Source and download : Microsoft.com

The next version of Commerce Server, scheduled for release in early 2006, is being developed for enterprises to accelerate and automate the delivery of online services and products to drive their revenue growth and reduce operational costs. Microsoft will continue to provide the enterprise scalability and reliability that customers have come to rely on. The next version of Commerce Server will build on 10 years experience of combining catalog and customer management, merchandising, and analytics into a flexible business-to-exchange (B2X) sell-side commerce platform.

http://www.microsoft.com/commerceserver/2006preview/default.asp

Following on the earlier article posted on VSJ about "Building a webbot in .NET", Jon Vote has now released a new article called "Index your site with .NET".

He now takes you through building a web indexer that uses the WebCrawler class (Charlotte.dll) which appeared in the November 2004 issue, as well as the HTML Container class (WebWagon.dll).

Code can be downloaded at : www.skycoder.com/downloads

A tip from ASP.NET guru Dino Esposito regarding clearing the ASP.NET cache object...

Read more : http://www.msd2d.com/newsletter_tip.aspx?section=dotnet&id=b86f467c-3554-4f9a-ad53-cb2b66a1e459

Want to keep up-to-date with the latest KB articles released from Microsoft?

kbAlertz is a website which allows you to setup prefrences for you to be notified as soon as MS releases new KB articles to its site.

You can also go direct to see all KB article to a particular technology or Server Application.

Here's few URL's for :

MCMS 2002 : http://www.kbalertz.com/technology_356.aspx

CS 2002 : http://www.kbalertz.com/technology_286.aspx

ASP.NEt 1.1 : http://www.kbalertz.com/technology_350.aspx

There are many more technologies to subscribe to.